Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok has confirmed he will step down from his position after signing a constitutional amendment introduced by Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s ruling Tisza party. The legislation, which mandates an immediate end to Sulyok’s term, cites a “serious loss of confidence” from the public in a leader who was originally elected in early 2024 by lawmakers affiliated with former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party.
While Sulyok stated that he felt compelled to sign the amendment to respect the letter of the law, he issued a stern warning regarding the implications of the reform. The former constitutional court judge noted that the move has negatively impacted the rule of law in Hungary. He remarked on Saturday that the seventeenth amendment represents a watershed moment for the nation’s constitutional democracy. According to Sulyok, removing public officials in a manner that bypasses established rule-of-law standards creates a harmful precedent that weakens the separation of powers and core democratic values.
The legislative change is a central component of Prime Minister Magyar’s broader agenda to dismantle the power structures established by Orbán, who was ousted during a landslide election in April. Magyar expressed his support for the shift, stating in a Facebook post that the decision helps restore what the previous regime had taken away. He emphasized that the move reinforces the principle that power can be constrained and state assets can be recovered to serve the citizenry. Beginning Monday, parliament speaker Ágnes Forsthoffer is set to serve as the interim president.
Former leader Viktor Orbán criticized the developments on social media, characterizing the reform as a descent into tyranny and warning that no one will be safe if the president can be removed in this fashion. The Fidesz party has struggled with declining support and high-profile resignations since its April defeat. Beyond the presidency, the new amendment introduces a 12-year term limit for lawmakers and sets a mandatory retirement age of 70 for constitutional court judges, a change that will force current court president Péter Polt to step down. Magyar had consistently pushed for Sulyok’s resignation, accusing him of failing to act as a symbol of national unity and of prioritizing the interests of the Orbán government.
